Granted Patent B2

US 12,619,190 · App. 18/738,215 · Granted May 5, 2026

Inventors: Ayatomo Okino (Moriya, JP); Hiromasa Katayama (Tokyo, JP); Nobuyuki Yomoda (Kashiwa, JP); Masato Yamaoka (Kashiwa, JP); Akihito Kamura (Nagareyama, JP); Koji Katayama (Misato, JP); Tsukasa Mine (Tsukuba, JP); Katsuya Murakami (Toride, JP); Keisuke Isobe (Tokyo, JP); Shogo Yamasaki (Tokyo, JP)

Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

G03G21/1647G03G15/08G03G15/0812G03G15/0867G03G21/1676

Abstract

Claims (17)

1 . A developer supply container comprising:

a rotatable developer accommodating body configured to accommodate developer, the rotatable developer accommodating body being provided with a gear portion rotatable about a first rotational axis;

a discharging body in fluid communication with the rotatable developer accommodating body, with the rotatable developer accommodating body being rotatable about the first rotational axis and relative to the discharging body, and with the discharging body being provided with a discharge opening configured to permit discharging of the developer to outside of the developer supply container;

a rotatable portion provided at a side of the discharging body so as to be rotatable about a second rotational axis extending in a direction crossing a direction of the first rotational axis and crossing a vertical direction when the developer supply container is oriented with the discharge opening positioned at a bottom side of the discharging body, and with the rotatable portion being rotatable between a first position and a second position; and

a cover attached to the discharging body, the cover being configured to cover the discharging body and the rotatable portion, the cover including a front wall that crosses the first rotational axis, with the front wall being provided with a slit.

2 . A developer supply container according to claim 1 , further comprising a first protruding portion provided on the discharging body so as to protrude from the discharging body and extend in the direction of the second rotational axis, the first protruding portion being configured to abut the rotatable portion so as to regulate, when the rotatable portion is in the first position, a rotation of the rotatable portion in a first rotational direction; and

a second protruding portion provided on the discharging body so as to protrude from the discharging body and extend in the direction of the second rotational axis, the second protruding portion being configured to abut the rotatable portion so as to regulate, when the rotatable portion is in the second position, a rotation of the rotatable portion in a second rotational direction that is opposite to the first rotational direction.

3 . A developer supply container according to claim 1 , wherein the rotatable portion includes a recess.

4 . A developer supply container according to claim 3 , further comprising a first protruding portion provided on the discharging body so as to protrude from the discharging body and extend in the direction of the second rotational axis, the first protruding portion being configured to abut the rotatable portion so as to regulate, when the rotatable portion is in the first position, a rotation of the rotatable portion in a first rotational direction; and

a second protruding portion provided on the discharging body so as to protrude from the discharging body and extend in the direction of the second rotational axis, the second protruding portion being configured to abut the rotatable portion so as to regulate, when the rotatable portion is in the second position, a rotation of the rotatable portion in a second rotational direction that is opposite to the first rotational direction,

wherein the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion are provided on the discharging body such that (i) a position of the recess of the rotatable portion when the rotatable portion is positioned at the first position is located above a rotation center of the rotatable portion in the vertical direction and (ii) a position of the recess of the rotatable portion when the rotatable portion is positioned at the second position is located above the position of the recess of the rotatable portion when the rotatable portion abuts the first protruding portion at the first position in the vertical direction.

5 . A developer supply container according to claim 3 , wherein the rotatable portion has an arm shape including the recess at an end portion of the rotatable portion.

6 . A developer supply container according to claim 2 , further comprising a spring configured to urge the rotatable portion to the first protruding portion.

7 . A developer supply container according to claim 2 , wherein the first protruding portion is positioned between a front end of the developer supply container and a rotation center of the rotatable portion with respect to the direction of the first rotational axis, and the second protruding portion is positioned between the first protruding portion and the gear portion with respect to the direction of the first rotational axis.

8 . A developer supply container according to claim 7 , wherein the discharge opening is positioned between the rotation center of the rotatable portion and the gear portion with respect to the direction of the first rotational axis.

9 . A developer supply container according to claim 1 , further comprising a shutter configured to be slidable relative to the discharging body in the direction of the first rotational axis between an open position wherein the discharge opening is open and a closed position wherein the discharge opening is closed by the shutter.

10 . A developer supply container according to claim 4 , further comprising a rotation shaft as the rotation center of the rotatable portion, the rotation shaft being configured to protrude from the discharging body and extend in the direction of the second rotational axis.

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (5)

References Cited (121)